by Dana Davis
Lyssinya made brief introductions and Tapnut gave proper genuflections to Ved’nuri and Ved’emir. The Sage reminded her bedfriend about their predicament in the middling world then questioned him about the Elders.
“I don’t know what in blazes is going on.” Tapnut’s black eyes hardened. “The Elders have gone mad, I tell you. They’ve imprisoned half the Sage community. Servants are so nervous they jump at every sound. Younglings are unsupervised. Daphnen nearly drowned herself this morning transferring ocean water.”
“What?” Lyssinya said. “I told the little snit not to do that without assistance. Where was my replacement?”
“Most of the clan mothers and fathers have been locked away. Bound. It won’t be long before all of us are shut away.”
The man’s eyes grew distant, a look Haranda recognized.
Lyssinya stepped closer to him. “Tapnut?”
“Lyssy? Is that you?”
“Yes, love. I’m slumbering.” Tapnut’s eyes moved to Haranda and the others. “They’re friends.” Lyssinya cupped his chin and moved his face back to her. “You must leave the island. Bring everyone you can trust and all the younglings.” She turned to Ved’nuri.
“If they can get to the Means, we can shelter everyone in the Land of the Goddess. She wouldn’t allow the unfaithful to survive there.”
Tapnut shook his head. “We can’t leave, Ved’nuri. Spouts form all around the island. Unnatural beasts. They’re caused by some dark magic, I’m certain. And there have been tremors.”
Lyssinya hissed. “I’d forgotten about the bloody weather. The mainland is having its share of storms too.” She kissed his hand. “Tapnut. We still can’t use our bodies. And from what I’ve seen, I would wager my sandals that yellow-eyed, daughter-of-a-dungbat has something to do with it.”
“Still can’t use your bodies?”
They explained everything, with Lyssinya reminding Tapnut who they were a couple more times. The poor man wasn’t a slumberer. Nonetheless, they completed their tale and he stood dumbfounded when they finished. Then he cursed. And cursed again.
“What is it?” Lyssinya prodded.
“I’ve seen a yellow-eyed mountain cat roaming the island. I thought it was just a natural deviance in one of the litters somewhere. The thing ran off as soon as it saw me watching.”
“A changer.” All eyes moved to Ved’nuri as she spoke. “That would explain her cat form in the middling world. The yellow-eyed woman is a changer. She harnesses the Energy. That much is obvious. But what I can’t determine, is whether she is an errant or—footrot!”
Everyone gawked at the crowned woman.
“Ved’nuri?” Haranda placed a hand on her arm. “Candelus, what is it?”
“Remain here. Adelsik, keep up this image of the dome. I’ll return shortly.” With that, she and her son disappeared.
Haranda’s gaze moved immediately to Adelsik, who had a look of concentration mixed with fear. But the girl kept the image, in its entirety, exactly as Ved’nuri had created it. “Nice work, new-oathed.” She couldn’t hold such an image if her life depended on it.
“Thank you, Haranda.” Adelsik sounded slightly strained.
“If you’re having trouble—”
“No, thank you, Lyssinya.” Her face relaxed. “This isn’t as difficult as I first thought.” Adelsik smiled. “In fact, I’m finding it’s not much of a difficulty at all.”
Siri clicked her tongue. “Modesty, new-oathed.”
Adelsik moved those innocent-looking eyes to the large woman. “Yes, Elder. But I surprise even myself.” She chuckled, and soon Haranda and the others joined.
Ved’nuri returned shortly without her son, and Lyssinya had to remind Tapnut who they were again. The crowned woman seemed breathless, though that was simply a side-effect of whatever she’d been doing in the mundane world. “All right. I have some news you need to pay careful attention to and deliver to each of our kin. I want our allies, Bankari, Hunters and whoever else you’ve sanctioned, in on this as well.”
“Yes, Ved’nuri,” they answered in unison.
The crowned woman cocked a brow at Adelsik. “Very good, daughter. I see that Lyssinya’s lessons have improved your abilities. But I need your full concentration so I will take back my memory dream.” Haranda saw and felt nothing alter, just as the first exchange. “Ved’mana found mention of this yellow-eyed woman in one of the texts. She was once a Gypsy.” They all began to talk at once but stopped abruptly at Ved’nuri’s raised palm.
Haranda couldn’t believe this. The yellow-eyed woman had just killed a Sage. Even a Gypsy wouldn’t betray oaths like that against a Sage or errant. Killing one who harnessed the Energy, whether they had taken oaths or not, was strictly forbidden. And one of the highest Goddess laws. Even the Elder’s Council didn’t have that right. The most they could do was to order a will binding. Haranda shuttered at that thought.
“Listen closely.” Ved’nuri eyed each of them in turn. “Six centuries ago there was a woman, a new-oathed Gypsy slumberer, who could change her appearance into that of a great mountain cat. Even in the mundane world. She also harnessed weak urging abilities. The Elders refused her request to invoke the Goddess and perform elemental magic in an attempt to expand her Energy and control more aspects of it, and the Energy became her obsession. When her sparking abilities grew stronger, she thought this meant she was succeeding.”
“That’s not unusual, Ved’nuri,” Siri said. “Thad has shown amazing sparking abilities, possibly exceeding Haranda’s, and he could barely float two orbs during his youngling days.”
“Yes. And the Elders tried to tell her that sparking was the one Energy that could grow after the oaths, but she accused them of lying to her, lying to all younglings and new-oathed so they wouldn’t attempt to control every aspect of the Energy.”
Haranda huffed. “Only the Goddess Herself has that ability. What kind of madwoman would believe otherwise?”
Ved’nuri glanced at her. “As we all know, even we Vedi combined, now that we are three, don’t control all aspects of the Energy. But this woman became delusional, overwrought, and the mind-healers prepared to help her. Rid her of the delusions. But she—” A stricken look crossed that beautiful face.
Haranda placed a comforting hand on her former clan sister’s arm. “What is it, Ved’nuri?”
Sorrowful eyes moved to her. “This woman abandoned her oaths and turned against her kin. She took a Gypsy’s life. Several, in fact.”
Haranda gasped. She and Lyssinya caught Wren just before the woman swooned to the floor. Her otherself had fainted. But at least she didn’t disappear from the shock and return to her middling body. They waited several heartbeats until Wren apologized and assured them she could remain upright without tipping over again. Wren was hard on her students and her clan daughters, as Haranda could attest, but she loathed the very thought of killing another Gypsy or Sage, as did every worthy kin. And with what they had just witnessed with Galen, it’s a wonder they hadn’t all fallen over in a faint.
“You’ve all been taught that forsaking your oaths comes with a price, higher than most Gypsies and Sages care to pay.”
They all nodded in agreement and Haranda eyed Wren, who was still a bit pale, despite her tanned face. Adelsik, on the other hand, didn’t seem as shocked to hear the news, or else, she hadn’t been a Gypsy long enough to understand the implications of those teachings.
The crowned woman shook her head. “There have been a few who braved the Goddess’s wrath by betraying oaths. But to turn against the Goddess and deny Her existence is a far greater offense. This yellow-eyed woman was one such abomination.” Rarely did Ved’nuri show her displeasure in such an emotional way anymore, but now her cheeks reddened with anger. “As punishment, she was transformed.” Colorful eyes moved to Adelsik. “Her essence removed by the Goddess. And since no one could remember her birth name, she was known only as Croferituus in the old language, which means, yellow-eyes or dead-eyes, depending
on which translation is used.” Ved’nuri’s gaze took in each woman again. “After her transformation, she was stripped of her new-oathed title, her Rights of Kin taken, and Gypsies banished her. Until now, no one even knew she survived.”
Haranda fought the urge to fan herself. Transformations and Rights of Kin weren’t spoken of lightly, anymore than will binding. New-oathed Gypsies learned of these punishments and of the sacred Rights from their scrolls and private lessons with the Elders, not while sitting in a class. And no one spoke of them in public. To have one’s essence and Rights of Kin stripped away—Haranda didn’t want to think of such a repulsive and disgraceful thing.
“How did Croferituus survive?” she managed to say through a dry mouth. “I thought no one could survive a transformation. At least, not for long.”
“Croferituus is the only Gypsy who has ever survived the ordeal. At least that we know of. Until now, even we Vedi didn’t know of her existence. That’s probably why the Elders of her day didn’t bind her will. They didn’t think she would live long enough to do more damage after being transformed.”
Haranda fought another shiver and noticed that Lyssinya wrapped her arms around herself. Wren stayed on her feet but her eyes closed for several heartbeats then she swallowed and took in a deep breath.
“What about Lombreeth, Ved’nuri?” Adelsik said with an ashen face. So the new-oathed girl did have enough sense to fear the Goddess’s punishment. One hand went to her belt and a scroll appeared. She fingered it.
The crowned woman placed a pale hand briefly on the girl’s shoulder. “Lombreeth betrayed his kin but he hasn’t turned against the Goddess. He hasn’t denied Her existence and tried to take all aspects of the Energy for himself. And he hasn’t actually killed another Gypsy that we know of.”
“But he’s deformed, Ved’nuri. Tsianina’s memories proved that.”
“Yes. The Goddess has punished him for betrayal of his oaths. But that change came from years of using the Energy against Her rules. He still has his essence.”
“There’s something I still don’t understand, Ved’nuri.”
The dominating woman nodded for Adelsik to continue and Haranda watched the two. They seemed very much like mother and daughter. Ved’nuri flashed her a quick nod.
Adelsik didn’t seem to notice. “We learned in class that betrayal is punished by the Goddess and those kin are left deformed in some manner, like Lombreeth. They die eventually, or they’re supposed to.” She crossed arms and gave Ved’nuri a long-suffering look, much like the one she always gave to Saldia. “Gypsies can turn against the Goddess and kill other kin and still receive the same punishment in the end as betraying oaths? It seems to me that punishment for either is just as bad. So, why differentiate? Why does the Goddess allow them to live at all? She should just kill them.”
Haranda stepped to her former clan daughter, ready to strike the little chit for speaking in such a disrespectful tone.
Ved’nuri held up her hand to stop her. “I will allow the question. After all, if she doesn’t understand, then others are probably confused. We haven’t dealt with a transformation directly before, not in our memories.”
“As you wish, Ved’nuri.” She would remind Adelsik of etiquette once they were back in the mundane world, that much was certain.
The crowned woman moved eyes to Adelsik and the girl fidgeted. “You won’t second-guess the Goddess, new-oathed. Is that clear?”
Adelsik squirmed beneath the steady gaze. “Yes, Ved’nuri. My apologies.”
“Accepted. The difference in the two punishments is simple. Transformation removes one’s essence. Punishment for betrayal of oaths doesn’t. Do you understand, now, my little daughter?”
“I understand that the essence is taken—oh.” The girl went pale. “Without an essence, one can’t be reborn. Is that right, Ved’nuri?” At least she remembered etiquette now.
“Exactly. One ceases to exist beyond one’s current life.”
“Apologies for my stupidity, Ved’nuri. Haranda. I didn’t make that connection before.”
“Then you need not apologize for the question. However, you will be reminded of proper respect and Gypsy etiquette as it is laid out in your handbook.” Adelsik lowered her gaze, and Ved’nuri’s colorful eyes turned to Haranda. “You won’t be blamed for lack of teaching, Haranda. You instructed what you learned as your teacher instructed what she learned.” Her eyes found Wren then Siri. “And so forth.” Her gaze lingered on Lyssinya then swept over all of them again. “I’m making a decree here and now that all new-oathed, Gypsies and Sages alike, be lectured on the difference between a transformation and punishment of oath betrayal, so this confusion won’t happen in the future. And all new-oathed will scribe twice as many handbooks as part of their lessons once you return home.”
“Yes, Ved’nuri,” all but Adelsik said in unison.
The doll-faced girl swallowed hard and her innocent eyes widened. “Ved’nuri? Are there others like Croferituus? Those who survived a transformation?” She looked as though she might be ill. Wren seemed recovered now.
The crowned woman placed a slender hand on Adelsik’s shoulder. “We don’t believe so. After Ved’mana found information on the yellow-eyed one, he perused the remaining texts very carefully and found no mention of another survivor. The others, few as they were, who defiled the Goddess, were killed by the transformation. Some lived for a while but none of those retained their abilities to harness. They merely survived as shells of their former selves.” She removed her hand from the new-oathed girl. “Croferituus is dangerous. She still harnesses the Energy and is no longer bound by any oaths. Her loyalty lies only with herself.”
Lyssinya hissed. “The old idiot is mad, Ved’nuri. At least she appeared to be.”
“That’s it!” All gazes moved to Adelsik, whose eyes widened with excitement. “That’s the something I felt from her besides death and emptiness. I sensed the stench of madness. I don’t think we can reason with her.”
Ved’nuri’s eyes hardened. “We won’t even try. Don’t get close to her. Dull your footprints and teach the other kin to do the same. I don’t want that madwoman invading anyone’s dreams. Am I making myself perfectly clear?”
“Yes, Ved’nuri,” came the unison reply.
“Good. Now, there’s something else, something each of you noticed, with exception of Adelsik, and I must now mention. The ring on Croferituus’s finger.” Haranda’s heart took up a frantic beat and she knew what the crowned woman would say next. “It is what you suspect.” Her eyes moved to Adelsik. “I realize you haven’t read about it, as you’re too new, but that ring is forbidden and was supposedly destroyed centuries ago. I wager that’s how Croferituus is supplementing her power and how she eludes us. It won’t last forever, though, for the ring will run out of power. And I would like to capture that woman before she has a chance to drain it.” She brushed hands down her hair, as though in thought. “Now, we have enough on our plates with spreading this news to all kin. Get to as many as you can tonight.” She focused on Haranda. “Without exhausting yourselves.” Instantly, her son was with them again. Haranda hadn’t even felt him knock for permission to enter.
“Siri, take my son with you. Explain what has transpired. Go in pairs. There’s no need for us to take unnecessary risks. Gather any kin who have even the slightest talent for slumbering to assist you. If they can’t do it alone, take them along and help them when needed. I need to confer with Ved’mana. Be well, daughters. Take care of my son.” In a wink, she was gone.
Chapter 25
Another day passed and Taniras still couldn’t move a bloody muscle or use the Energy. The hollow part between her ribs ached from lack of food and her mouth felt parched. The bindings around her wrists and ankles chafed, and her arms ached from being stretched behind her back as she lay on her stomach. The wagon bumped along the road and she silently cursed the bruises she felt all over her body, especially her knees, her right cheek and her breasts. The rough
blanket beneath her provided little protection against the hard wood of the wagon bed.
At least she could swallow and breathe and her heart still pumped. She could feel the blood pounding in her head, along with a dull ache. But she couldn’t control those functions. They came whenever her body seemed to need them. If she defecated on herself, would she know? Yes, the ache in her bladder hadn’t gone away. She smelled bodies, sweat, but no urine or other bodily waste. Perhaps she couldn’t relieve herself. Perhaps whatever held her tears also held her waste. She couldn’t tell who rode with her since she couldn’t even open her eyes. And thought she held the Energy, she had no awareness with it. Not now.
She tried again to contact the wolves. They were there in the recesses of her mind, yet she hadn’t the chance to call them before those bloody insects invaded camp. A faint howl rose up in the back of her mind but she couldn’t hear speech. Too far away to communicate. At least for her. She still had so much to learn about being a wolf singer.
Haranda and Wren had come to her in a dream with quite a bit of information and let her know that Snowy was all right. Thankfully, Taniras’s memory was as sharp as ever, even in the Netherworld. They talked of a yellow-eyed woman, Croferituus, a changer who possibly paraded as her mountain cat footprint in the mundane world. Haranda suspected this woman had something to do with their kidnapping. A cat would be little trouble for the wolves to locate, especially one who stank of death. If only Taniras could reach them.
One of their current captors was the woman who had beaten Haranda and Thad in the Netherworld. The yellow-eyed woman had been the one to give the commands, and Ved’nuri suspected she was still on Lyssinya’s island. She also wore a forbidden ring that was supposed to have been destroyed ages ago. Croferituus used it to enhance her powers and thwart the kin. How many more ugly surprises would Gypsies get? How much knowledge did they lack? Do we lack? She was one of them now. Taniras pushed those thoughts away and concentrated on her present situation. She had heard two women from the driver’s seat of this wagon. Perhaps she and Haranda rode in the same one.
